by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsey (Cruella) DeVos went before Congress this week to defend plans to cut seven billion dollars from educational programs. DeVos has long been a proponent of moving government money away from public schools and into the coffers of private and religious institutions where she believes taxpayers will get more value for their money. She believes that, of course, without any valid research to back up those beliefs - and without any alternative plans to support the children she would leave behind in the underfunded public schools.
Much of the news regarding this latest round of proposed cuts involves specific cuts to special education programs like those that benefit specific populations such as the blind and children who are autistic. The DeVos cuts would also completely eliminate federal funding for Special Olympics, a program currently benefiting nearly three hundred thousand children across the United States. At present the federal government only contributes eighteen million dollars to the extremely popular program, and the DeVos cuts would eliminate that expenditure entirely. DeVos argues that the program is primarily funded by philanthropic organizations, and she assumes they would step in to make up the shortfall.
DeVos is also proposing a 26% reduction in grants to states for the support of special education programs.
Cruella DeVos and her Amway-heir husband own ten yachts including one, the Seaquest, which is valued at $40 million. They register those big boats in the Cayman Islands to avoid paying U.S. taxes, even though most are parked on the Great Lakes at U.S. ports. If the DeVos family paid their fair share of U.S. taxes, they alone could fund Special Olympics at far beyond the federal government's current level.
And then there is Cruella's boss, Donald John Trump. The Government Accounting Office published a report last year stating that four of Trump's many trips to his private club at Mar-a-Lago cost taxpayers $13.6 million - or $3.4 million per trip. Clearly that money could be put to far better use by spending it on the education of our young citizens with special needs. Just cutting six trips to Mar-a-Lago would more than make up the entire Special Olympics federal expenditure for a whole year.
If the United States of America cannot afford to educate its children - all of its children - then surely there must be an economic imbalance in society that needs addressing. If the U.S. Secretary of Education hides her assets to avoid paying taxes, then perhaps she should address her own bookkeeping and budgeting before she tries to control ours. And if the President of the United States believes that playing golf on a weekly basis is more important than addressing the needs of Americans with disabilities and the education of our future generations, then perhaps he should retire to the golf course and allow someone who cares to assume the governing of our country.
Public education built America, and now monsters are out trying to deny access to education to the poor and those with special needs. It is time to fight back!
Citizen Journalist
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsey (Cruella) DeVos went before Congress this week to defend plans to cut seven billion dollars from educational programs. DeVos has long been a proponent of moving government money away from public schools and into the coffers of private and religious institutions where she believes taxpayers will get more value for their money. She believes that, of course, without any valid research to back up those beliefs - and without any alternative plans to support the children she would leave behind in the underfunded public schools.
Much of the news regarding this latest round of proposed cuts involves specific cuts to special education programs like those that benefit specific populations such as the blind and children who are autistic. The DeVos cuts would also completely eliminate federal funding for Special Olympics, a program currently benefiting nearly three hundred thousand children across the United States. At present the federal government only contributes eighteen million dollars to the extremely popular program, and the DeVos cuts would eliminate that expenditure entirely. DeVos argues that the program is primarily funded by philanthropic organizations, and she assumes they would step in to make up the shortfall.
DeVos is also proposing a 26% reduction in grants to states for the support of special education programs.
Cruella DeVos and her Amway-heir husband own ten yachts including one, the Seaquest, which is valued at $40 million. They register those big boats in the Cayman Islands to avoid paying U.S. taxes, even though most are parked on the Great Lakes at U.S. ports. If the DeVos family paid their fair share of U.S. taxes, they alone could fund Special Olympics at far beyond the federal government's current level.
And then there is Cruella's boss, Donald John Trump. The Government Accounting Office published a report last year stating that four of Trump's many trips to his private club at Mar-a-Lago cost taxpayers $13.6 million - or $3.4 million per trip. Clearly that money could be put to far better use by spending it on the education of our young citizens with special needs. Just cutting six trips to Mar-a-Lago would more than make up the entire Special Olympics federal expenditure for a whole year.
If the United States of America cannot afford to educate its children - all of its children - then surely there must be an economic imbalance in society that needs addressing. If the U.S. Secretary of Education hides her assets to avoid paying taxes, then perhaps she should address her own bookkeeping and budgeting before she tries to control ours. And if the President of the United States believes that playing golf on a weekly basis is more important than addressing the needs of Americans with disabilities and the education of our future generations, then perhaps he should retire to the golf course and allow someone who cares to assume the governing of our country.
Public education built America, and now monsters are out trying to deny access to education to the poor and those with special needs. It is time to fight back!
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